As he watched a figure appeared in it, a half man half fox. A Foxling.

One moment he was in the mirror, the next he was in front of them.

“GREND.”

Frend pushed his brother hard out of the way. Grend fell with a thud, not even trying to put his hands out to stop himself.

Frend lay panting on the floor. For a moment nothing happened, then another moment. Finally, Frend lifted himself up to peer over the table where the foxling stood with a confused look on his face.

“Why did you….you jumped? Did you think I was going to fire a spell at you?”

“It seemed like the time for something like that yeah,” Frend said a little sheepishly.

The foxling shrugged, “Yes, I suppose I might see why. But never mind that it is good to finally meet you Frend, brother of Grend. I am Gene Vulpes. Your new Master.”

“Genie?”

“No not Genie,” The foxling pressed his fingers to his eyelids and took a deep breath. “Gene. Just Gene.”

“Ah Gene okay. Nothing to do with Genies then?”

“What? No nothing to do with Genies, why would I….” Gene shook his finger at him, “No more of this. As you can see by your Brother’s face he is not quite himself at the moment. Nor has he been since he first laid eyes on my mirror. For it is no ordinary mirror this one.”

“Ahhhh,” Frend agreed, “No, it’s an ornate one.”

“Ah… well yes it is ornate. But much more than that it is magical.”

“Magical?” Frend looked from Grend to the mirror.

“What have you done to my Brother Grend.”

“Let’s just say that he is under my spell.” Gene smiled maliciously and slowly drew out the keys now hanging from a chain about his neck.

“What?” Frend whispered, “Grend’s keys. How did you?”

“I told you, your Brother-”

“Grend.”

“Yes, yes Grend. He’s under my spell. Once he had succumbed to its aura I simply had to enter the tower and ask him nicely for the keys. He was more than happy to oblige. Willing you might say.”

“NOOOO.”

“Oh yes,” Gene purred, “Now all beastlings must do exactly what I say when I say it.”

Frend shook his head as Gene pulled up a chair and placed his feet on the table.

“You know in truth I did not fully know how I would get to the Creator. My plan was to have the mirror taken in by one of the Beastlings here and then use them to get to him. But now that I am here I can see that it was a poor plan, destined to failure, I had no hope of deceiving him that way. Strange, isn’t it? All these years I have plotted and schemed, my every thought only on how I might return to the Tower and have my revenge on the one who created me. I came here not sure what to expect. But something inside, deep inside of me told me that now was my time. Now was the moment to strike. When I reached the village and heard of how you, the Hippoling twins had risen to power I could not believe my luck. Everything fell into place, everything. And now here I am, ready to-”

Gene was interrupted by the sound of snoring blaring out from Frend.

“HEYYYY. HEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY.”

Gene sat up and picking a cup from the table flung it at the Hippolings head.

Frend jolted awake at the impact.

“YOUR SLEEPING? YOU INSOLENT LITTLE SHIT.”

“Me?” Frend raised his hands in indignation, “It’s you, going on about your history and plans. What’s that got to do with anything? Why are you telling me all this stuff? You are just doing it for you. I don’t want to listen to it.”

Gene glared at Frend but said nothing. After a while he sat back down and began to massage his temples.

“Rude,” Gene muttered to himself.

“Fine, since you don’t want to listen to how and why I am here we must move on to the next stage of my plan. Grend, to me.”

Grend got up awkwardly from the floor but immediately moved towards Gene, his new master.

Frend called out his Brother’s name repeatedly as he reached out to try and hold him back by the shoulders. A savage push sent him sprawling back, however.

“Forget it Frend. Your Brother is mine now, collar or no collar. He’ll answer to me and me alone just like all the other Beastlings. Just like you will.”

“Never.” Frend shook his fist at the Foxling before making a dash to where his Warhammer lay beside the door.

“Aha,” Frend cried triumphantly, “Bet you weren’t counting on that.

“Actually that is exactly, like down to the last detail exactly, what I was counting on. I had to make it at least someway interesting after all. Tell me Frend, where do you usually keep your Warhammer? Hmmmm?”

“Bes…beside my bed.” Frend looked down at his weapon and gasped, “You moved it here? But why?”

“Why?” Gene smiled an evil, cruel smile.

He looks like the Creator when he smiles, Frend thought.

“Grend. Kill.”

Grend responded without pause, instantly drawing out his axe from behind his back and advancing on his Brother.

“Grend wait, Brother it’s me.”

Frend felt tears forming on his face, he shook his head in disbelief.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

The Creator had tried to get them to fight many times, too many to count. But never once had he succeeded. But as Frend studied his Brother now he knew it was different this time. This type of enchantment was different. There would be no reisisting this. Grend was gone. Only the shell remained.

His worst fears were realised as he stepped back to avoid the first vicious swipe of Grend’s axe. The blow coming so close as to draw blood from Frend.

The next strike Frend met with his Hammer. The clash of steel ringing in his ear Frend used the momentum he gained from their collision to swing around and plant a fist straight into his Brother’s face.

Though they had never truly fought for real Frend and Grend had play fought enough times for him to know that he was usually a little faster than his older Brother. But now he saw that his Brother really was not himself. Every move was slow, deliberate and without any sense of rhythm.

As Frend easily swatted aside another heavy strike he lashed out again, this time with the butt of the hammer, slamming into the ribs of Grend.

Behind the table, Gene watched on as his new slave did battle with his Brother. He looked on with a growing sense of anxiety. Grend was slower than he’d anticipated. And Frend was not quite so overwhelmed as he had hoped. If he kept landing the strikes he was landing on his Brother then enchantment or no enchantment he would soon fall. And then….

Foxling cursed himself for not going to gather some wolfings or other Beastlings down below before confronting Frend. He couldn’t leave now though, it would be too pathetic. No, he had to make sure Grend won.

The Foxling raised his hands high and shut his eyes, he focused all his attention on Frend as he began to utter the arcane words taught to him long ago by the Creator.

Frend was well in control of the fight now, his constant targeting of his brother’s torso taking effect. After yet another strike with the butt of his hammer broke through and slammed into Grend he fell heavily onto his knees. Frend launched a kick sending his Brother toppling over before he snatched the axe from him and threw it well out of reach.

Gene finished his spell just as Frend was getting ready to charge, the bolts of lightning went darting through the air before smashing into Frend and engulfing him in a blaze of white light.

For a moment Gene thought the Hippoling would walk through the spell, his eyes widened in terror as through the smoke Frend came on, his every step forward clearly a laborious one filled with pain.

But then he fell.

Gene gave a sigh of relief. Clearing his throat he brushed himself down before going to stand victoriously in front of the Fallen Hippoling. He had to quickly step back however as a large hand came searching out for him.

Gene scowled as he heard an outbreak of muffled laughter coming out from below him.

“Grend. Up.”

Gene watched with impatience as Grend got groggily to his feet.

“Kill.”

Grend didn’t move.

Gene looked up at the sky.

“Grreeeennnd. I said Kill. Kill him. Now.”

Grend’s blank, pitch dark eyes rested on the Foxling for a moment before he finally moved forward.

He still hadn’t picked up his axe. Instead he moved with hands outstretched.

Gene scratched at his chin as he watched his enchanted servant move. He really needed to work on maintaining fluidity in those he’d enslaved. But that will come, he reflected, now that I have the time and facility to practice.

Grend turned Frend over and slowly took his hands and placed them about his Brother’s neck.

Frend didn’t resist. He’d already fought hard, and was wracked with pain. But it was more than that. He just didn’t want to fight his Brother anymore. Didn’t want to hurt him. Tears flowed freely down his face. But he smiled even as he choked. He smiled and thought about his Brother Grend. His Big Brother. He’d always protected him. Always gave him the last of their food when they were in the holding cells. Always volunteered for the Creator’s experiments instead of him. Always stepped in to stop those other Beastlings who tried to bully him, even if it meant them bullying him.

The Creator had created many experiments, many Beastlings in his time. Most of which were family in some way. But only he and Grend had been true brothers. True Family. As his breath tightened and his vision blurred Frend knew it was not his brother over him. He smiled.

The tears were heavy on his face now, he could only barely make out his Brother’s hands pressing down on him. It almost felt like it was raining.

Frend frowned slightly as the pressure eased slightly. It felt like rain because the tears were now coming from above, falling down to mix with his own. Grend’s tears.

His Brother gave one final dramatic push before he gently closed Frend’s eyes. Gentle, far too gentle for a mindless servant. Frend was smart enough to keep them closed as he lay still.

“He’s dead.” Frend heard Gene ask.

“Finally. You certainly took your time. Perhaps I should have picked him instead. Ahhhh no matter, I will make more of you soon enough, stronger, faster, smarter. This Tower will have new life under my rule. I’ll achieve things the Creator could not have even dreamt of. You mark my words. My name, and the names of my Wife and son, they will be known all throughout the land, I swear it. Now then,”

Frend heard the clap of hands and what he guessed was Gene as a chair scraped alongside the table.

“Where’s that Creator.”

“Eh Grend. On your feet, stop dawdling over your Brother, he's dead. Lead the way to the Creator, there is much for me to discuss with him. Perhaps I’ll get the squirreling up here too, I’ll imagine I’ll be rather famished once I’m done with him.”

“Hey,” Frend heard Gene click his fingers, “Look at me when I’m talking to you. And stop shuffling about, lead the way to-”

Frend finally opened his eyes as he heard the sound of choked gasping. His Brother was up and had the foxling in a tight grip. One hand held the Foxling up by the neck, pinning him against the kitchen wall. The other he used as support to keep himself up. He looked back towards Frend.

Frend cried out in delight when he saw the brown eyes looking back at him. They were tired eyes, but they were his Brother’s. Grend was panting heavily.

He winked at Frend.

“Bloody Mirror.” Grend laughed weakly.

“Grennnd.” Gene wheezed, “Wait. Wait.”

Grend stared deep into the foxling’s eyes.

“You wanted to make me kill my Brother?”

“Yes but I swear I-”

With a strength that Frend did not think was still left within his Brother Grend grabbed the hair of the foxling and began to pull. He tore with such force that bones began to break and tear immediately. Gene did not have time to utter a spell or protest. Within seconds it came off as with a violent tug Grend ripped the head off of the foxling. A fountain of blood streamed out from the empty hole where the head had been. Grend let it spray all over him for another moment before finally slumped down exhausted onto the ground. Frend ran over and eased his Brother to lie across his lap.

They did not speak, they only sound the gurgle of blood as it dripped and poured out of the foxling’s body.

Frend giggled through tears.

“What’s….so…funny?” Grend asked through heavy breaths.

“Nothing,” Frend managed to sniffle out.

“Tell…me.”

Frend shook his head still smiling.

“It’s just. Foxling. I guess….I guess ordering you to kill me….It was…it was…”

“What?” Grend asked.

“It was a bit headless.” Frend burst out laughing as he spoke.

Grend closed his eyes and began laughing too.

They stayed there, covered in blood, laughing, just laughing. The twin Brothers Grend and Frend.